FORT
STEDMAN, VA
MARCH 25TH, 1865
On Feb. 27, 1865, Sheridan, with the
two divisions of cavalry left Winchester and moved up the Shenandoah valley via
Staunton and Charlottesville to within a short distance of Lynchburg, destroying
the James river canal for some distance, and on March 27, effected a Junction
with Grant's army in front of Petersburg and Richmond.
A few days before his arrival Lee and Jefferson Davis, president of the
Confederacy, held a conference in Richmond, at which it was decided to abandon
the Richmond and Petersburg lines as soon as the railroads would admit of it,
the purpose being to unite Lee's forces with those of Johnston in North Carolina
and attack Sherman there.
Lee knew that Grant was preparing for a movement against the Danville and South
Side railroads and to counteract this he proposed a sortie against the works on
the east side of Petersburg, which he believed would oblige Grant to concentrate
there, thus thwarting the design on the railroads and postponing the evacuation
until the weather was more favorable.
The point selected for the attack was a redoubt known as Fort Stedman, about a
mile from the Appomattox and not more than 15O yards from the Confederate works.
This part of the line was held by the 9th corps, Willcox on the right Potter on
the left and Hartranft in reserve, Fort Stedman being garrisoned by a detachment
of the 18th N. Y. heavy artillery under Maj. G. M. Randall.
Gordon's corps was chosen to lead the assault in which he was to be supported by
portions of Hill's and Longstreet's commands. At this time Lee's army was in
desperate straits for food. The capture of Fort Fisher in January had closed the
port of Wilmington to the Confederacy, thus making it impossible to obtain
supplies from abroad. It had become a common occurrence for squads of
Confederate soldiers, impelled by the hope of securing better rations, to desert
with their arms in their hands and come over to the Union lines.
About 4 a.m. on March 25 several such squads, claiming to be deserters, left the
enemy's works and when near enough made a dash and overpowered the Federal
pickets. Immediately three strong columns emerged from the Confederate abatis,
one moving straight on Fort Stedman, one on Battery No 10, a short distance
north of the fort, and the third against Battery No.
11, about the same distance on the south of it.
The second column broke the main line between Batteries 9 and 10 and then turned
toward the fort, taking it on the flank. The garrison was soon overpowered and
the guns of the fort, as well as those of Battery 10, were turned on Willcox's
troops.
Batteries 11 and 12 were quickly captured by the column that had turned to the
right, and for a little while it looked as though Gordon's attack was to be a
complete success. When the assault was commenced it was so dark that friends and
foes could not be distinguished and the artillery of the other batteries could
not be used. As soon as it was light enough Gen. McLaughlin, whose brigade
occupied the line near Battery 11 opened a mortar fire on the enemy there and
soon afterward carried the battery at the point of the bayonet. He then entered
Fort Stedman, not knowing it was in the hands of the enemy, and was taken
prisoner.
Gordon was under the mistaken impression that there were some forts in the rear
of the main line and the column which captured Battery 10 was moving to capture
these forts when it came in contact with Hartranft division, which was coming up
to Willcox's support, and was driven back to the battery and Fort Stedman.
Battery 12 was retaken soon after No. 11, and by 7:30 Parke had driven the
Confederates there into the fort, upon which was concentrated the fire of
several of the Union batteries on the high ground in the rear. A heavy
cross-fire of artillery and infantry was also brought to bear on the open space
between the lines, rendering it almost impossible for the enemy to return to his
own works or to receive reinforcements.
Hartranft then moved against the enemy in the fort and recaptured the position
with comparatively small loss, capturing 1,949 prisoners, most of whom had
sought shelter in the bomb-proofs, and 9 stands of colors. Many of the
Confederates were killed or wounded by the murderous cross-fire, while
endeavoring to get back to their own lines.
The Union loss was 494 in killed and wounded and 523 missing.
The 2nd and 6th corps were then directed to make a reconnaissance of the enemy's
works in front of Fort Fisher on the right of Fort Stedman, and to attack if it
was found the force there had been sufficiently weakened to support Gordon. The entrenched
picket line was carried and the Union troops advanced close to the main works,
when it was found that Hill occupied them with a force too strong to be
assaulted. The enemy tried to recapture the picket line at several points, but
every attack was repulsed.
In this affair the Union loss was about 900 in killed and wounded and 177
missing. The Confederate loss in killed and wounded was about the same and
nearly 1,000 were captured.
Source: The Union Army, vol. 5
18th
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